Circuit closer for motor vehicles



Aug. 3o, 1927;

D. O. SCHUSTER ET AL CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR M OTOR VEHICLES Filed Dec. 16'. 1920 5.2m EEE.,

INVENTORS j, Sch-,LQICY- V H. H. GeY/re ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 3o, 1927.

. y 1,641,099 PATENT oFFlca. n

DIEDRICH O; SCI-IIISTER ANI) HERMAN H. GERKE, 0F FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

CIRCUIT CLOSER- FOR MSTGR VEHICLES.

Application filed December 16, 1920.. Serial No. 431,081.

The invention relates to combined controlling and signaling apparatus for motor vehicles.

At the presenttime motor vehicles gen-f erally are equippedwith`l an electrically oper ated signal ofv onetype or another, the controlling switch for which is installed on the steering wheel or column or other part of the vehicle. To operate the switch the driver is required in most installations to Y remove one of his hands from the steering wheel and place it on the switch actuating element. On many occasions, especially in an emergency, the driver requires both hands to steer the vehicle and to sound the signal would not only be disconcerting but dangerous.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple apparatus operable by the drivers foot by whichhe may control'th'e speed of the vehicle and selectively or simultaneously sound the signal.

The invention consists in a pedal having la single controlling means incorporated or rassociated therewith, and operative eitherA selectively to control the vehicle or to sound the signal or simultaneously to control the vehicle and sound the signal.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated an embodiment of the invention in simple form in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one of the controlling levers of a motor vehicle and signalling device having the invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 a plan view of the pedal; Fig. 3 a front elevational view of y the pedal; Fig. 4 a cross-sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 a lperspective view of the pedal showing the movable portion of the casing or switch arm of the signalling switch.

Referring to the eXemplification of the invention illustrated in the drawings, 1U indicates one of Athe controlling levers of the motor vehicle, preferably the brake lever; 11 an electrically operatedsignal or horn and 12 a battery. Wire 13 is connected to the signal and to thebattery and wires 14 and 15 connected to the battery and to the signal respectively are led to the upper end of the lever 10. A pedal 16 is securedv to the upper end of lever 10 and consists of a body 17 of suitable material and a casing or shell 18 of suitable material, the shell being a finishing member for the body. pstanding flanges 19 are formed or secured at opposite ends -of the pedal for the obvious purpose of preventing the drivers foot from slid ing olf thcpedal. A channel 20 is formed in the underside of body 17 in which the upper end of the lever` 10 is secured, the

Preferably the lever is 05 socket is apertured at 22 and an insulating 70 sleeve23 is secured in the aperture. An insulating member 24 is suitably secured in the socket and supports two contactsv 25 and 26 normally separated and to which wires 14 and A15 are connected respectively, the 75 wires being passed through sleeve 23 andl through an opening formed in insulating member 24.

At a suitable point in opposite depending walls 27 of the shell or casing 18 the same B0 are slotted as at 28 to form a hinge 29 substantially along broken line 30 of Fig. 2, and a button 31 of insulating material is secured to the under side of portion 32 of the shell. Preferably the shell, atleast between flanges 19, is formed of resilient material,.such as spring steel or brass, and is so formed that portion 32 thereof slopes upwardly from the hinge towardy flange 19;

hence by depressing the portion 32 button 31 90 closes contact 26 on Contact 25 thereby completing the electric circuit from the battery to the signal. Portion 33 of the casing is secured tobody 17l as by screws 34 and is of sufficient length to place his foot thereon and depress the pedal `without depressing portion 32. To sound the signal without depressing the pedal the driver places his foot on the pedal and shifts the foot onto portion 32 and presses it downwardly, there being 100 sufficient resistance opposing the lever 10 to permit of the depression of the portion or switch member 32 without appreciably mov-- ing the pedal as a whole. If-the driver def sires to operate the mechanism connected to the lever and also sound the signal he places his foot on the pedal and shifts it onto the switch operating member 32 andl depresses the entire pedal just as if he were operating the leverv alone. `It is a very simple matter for the driver to shift his foot sufficiently to engage member 32..`

Any desirable form of pedal Ina-y be used and any desirable form of hinge by Which to connect the switch operating` lneniber 'to the pedal. proper may be used, the essential feature of the invention being' that the pedal and switch operatinso)` member shall be so associated that the driver may select which of the two hc will operate or may operate both simuitaneonsly.

It Will be apparent that the pedal may be attached to the clutch lever or any other controlling' lever on the machine as Well as to the brake lever, provided such lever is operated by the jloot ot' the driver.

lVhat We claim is:

l. In combination with a controlling foot pedal of a niotor vehicle, a pair of contacts silpported on and insulated from the pedal, a casing secured to the pedal havingl a resilient portion thereof above the contacts and adapted to be depressed by the foot to engage the contacts for closingl an electrical circuit at said contacts.

2. In combination With a foot pedal of a inotor vehicle having a cavity therein, a pair or normally separated contacts supported in the cavity and insulated from 'the pedal, a casing secured to the pedal havin one end portion resilient and loose on the pedal and normally inclined upwardly and a member secured to the said loose portion and adapted, when said portion is depressed by the ioot, to cause the contacts to engage to close an electrical circuit.

n witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our names this 13th day ol Deceni4 ber, 1920.

DIEDRICH O. SCHUSTER. HERMAW H. GER-KE. 

